


The Sun, The Moon, The Stars

by zaffrenotes



Series: MOTY [1]
Category: Mother of the Year (Visual Novel)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, Love, One Shot Collection, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:13:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27363301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaffrenotes/pseuds/zaffrenotes
Summary: based on a writing prompt request of a proposal going wrong, then right
Relationships: Thomas Mendez/Main Character (Mother of the Year)
Series: MOTY [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1998592
Kudos: 3





	1. The Sun, The Moon, The Stars

Some would call him presumptuous for buying an engagement ring mere weeks after officially asking a woman out for a first date. The few that knew him well would call him methodical, calculating, and measured with his actions. He wasn’t one to second guess decisions, or take action without weighing pros and cons to viable options. There was no presumption in purchasing the sparkling, 2-carat cushion-cut halo diamond engagement ring, or the coordinating moonstone pendants he kept hidden in a safe in his closet. It was only a matter of executing his plan that required assistance. The only thing that held him back was inopportune timing.

He thought he has his emotions under control, until that fateful Saturday morning when he texted in a panic. He’d spent the better part of an hour trying – and failing spectacularly – to French braid his daughter’s hair before soccer, and sent out a plea for help. She was more than willing to lend a hand, the promise of a pretentious cup of coffee as a reward.

Their almost-kiss in the kitchen nearly killed him; the stolen kisses at the Drafthorse left his head spinning, for more than one reason. His heart quarreled with the emotions she’d managed to stir in him once again; ones he believed to exist only with his first wife, his soulmate. He spent countless hours wondering if Sol would give her blessing to move on, how his little moppet would adjust to someone other than her mother being in their life, wondering if this new woman even felt the same way, or how her own daughter would react to them dating. It was easy to consider the risks when only two people were involved; there were no attachments, there was no history. He had to consider his feelings, her feelings, and the feelings of their children now.

At first, he wanted to wait until the custody hearing was over, to avoid any romantic complications as her lawyer. It took every ounce of willpower to resist her during that time – the afternoons and evenings prepping for court, on top of seeing each other on school grounds and events. He was drawn to her presence, heart racing with each coy compliment and friendly touch. He looked forward to morning drop-offs and delighted in setting up play dates after their daughters became fast friends, spending too many late evenings reading through flirty text messages when he needed to smile.

Then there was the actual custody hearing. He defended her as his client to the best of his abilities against a ghost from his relationships past, bearing witness to a side of Vanessa he’d never wanted to admit existed before. He countered every accusation she attempted to launch at his client – his friend, his could-be-something-more in life – with aplomb. He imagined what it would feel like if he had to fight for custody of his own child, channeling that unmitigated rage into an infallible defense. He knew he was good at his job, but he’d be lying if he didn’t feel pride in the way he left Vanessa and Guy gawking at his closing statement in the courtroom.

With the custody battle settled, he was free to act on all the feelings he’d bottled up for weeks on end. After a meaningful talk with his daughter, he realized he needed to work on hiding his emotions better – her teasing about his red face and getting tongue tied were telltale signs. She was more than open to the idea of him dating her best friend’s mother, excitedly talking about sharing a bedroom and being sisters, and having someone to talk to about girl things the only way girls could. 

.:.

A year had passed since a small part of Goldcliffe turned upside down, when Charlotte Day and her daughter Danielle moved to town. When the dust finally settled, Charlie and Dani worked out a steady rhythm to their new life – Dani excelled at school, and Charlie was paid handsomely to put her “cat herding skills” to use on a daily basis as an executive assistant.

Four months ago, he planned to take everyone on a hot air balloon ride in southern California, right after an intensive two-week STEM camp over winter break drew to a close, and they’d all be together. The Santa Ana winds rolled in and put a halt to those plans, and he had to spend the entire drive back to Goldcliffe hiding the velvet jewelry boxes in his jacket. The nervous sheen of sweat across his brow made everyone think he was coming down with something. 

Two months ago, he tried again. Nerves got the better of him in the middle of dinner during a romantic weekend away. When he worked up the courage to try again during a nature hike, frantic phone calls from Alma pulled the plug so they could rush back home. Alma had kindly taken both girls for the weekend, but Luz was rushed to the ER for a soccer injury; her sprained ankle put a wrench in his plans. It showed him how close Luz and Dani were becoming, as Dani waited on the school steps every day to help his daughter with her things, carrying whatever she needed help with to classes. 

.:.

It was a mundane Saturday night when Thomas Mendez found himself looking after Dani during another sleepover under his roof. The girls watched movies and made popcorn, going to bed with all manner of braids in their hair from some sort of instructional book Charlie found in one of her boxes. He was hunched over his desk, looking over documents for another case, when a tiny voice in the doorway tore his attention away from the papers. “Miste— um, Thomas?”

Thomas’s head jerked up to see Dani standing in the doorway in her pajamas, rubbing one eye open. He rose up from the leather chair he was sitting in, gesturing for her to come into the study. “What’s got you up, Dani? Do you need some water?”

Dani sat on the edge of one of the chairs on the other side of his desk, wringing her fingers together. “I…I had a bad dream,” she professed weakly.

“Do you want some warm milk? That usually helps Luz when she has a bad dream.”

“Mom tries to get me to remember it by talking about it, or she lets me write things down or draw a picture.”

“Well then, how about we move to the kitchen and do both of those things,” he replied, standing up. Dani followed as he walked down the hallway and turned on lights to the kitchen. She climbed into one of the barstools of the breakfast counter, watching as Thomas pulled a saucepan from the cupboard and milk from the fridge. “Do you feel like writing or drawing?” he asked, pulling a wooden spoon from a drawer.

“Writing,” Dani replied, followed by a small yawn. He smiled softly at her and slid a notepad in her direction, along with a small pen from his shirt pocket. She examined the pen as she uncapped it, drawing loops on the corner of the paper to test it. “This is a tiny pen,” she mused.

“It’s a special one,” Thomas replied, stirring the milk over the stove. He reached over the spice rack and retrieved a container, tapping it lightly over the contents of the saucepan. “Dash of cinnamon,” he nodded, seeing Dani’s curious eyes on him.

“What’s special about it?” she prodded, already scribbling notes on the paper.

“Well, it’s actually…a space pen, just like the astronauts use,” he replied. He looked over to see a look of surprise on Dani’s face, her dark eyes lighting up with glee, turning back to the stove before speaking again. “It’ll write at any angle, even upside down…in the water, and in hot and cold environments. You can hold onto that one if y—” Thomas gasped quietly when he glanced to the counter, noticing Dani wasn’t there. “Dani?”

“Over here!” she whispered loudly, feet sticking out from under the kitchen table.

“What…what’re you doing down there?” he laughed to himself, watching as the milk started to bubble in the pan.

“Testing out…this awesome! Pen!” she exclaimed quietly, kicking her socked feet in the air. “That’s so cool!” Dani scooted out from underneath the table, her dark hair slightly disheveled with loose braids and ribbons. “Can I try using it in the water? Can I??” She was nearly bouncing on her heels, and Thomas found it difficult to say no to her exuberant face, a miniature version of Charlie’s when she’d smile.

“Quietly, in the hall bathroom, it’s still late,” he grinned. Dani hurried over to the hall bathroom and he heard her fill the sink with water. He smiled when she ran back into the kitchen to tear a sheet of paper from the notepad, pouring two mugs of warm milk from the contents of the pan. Tiny squeals of laughter came from the bathroom as he stuck a milk frother in one mug, swirling the milk and cinnamon to create a layer of foam, and he heard Luz’s footsteps descending the stairs.

“Dad? What’s going on?”

“Luna-Luz, looook! It writes underwater!” Dani exclaimed, popping her head into the hallway.

Luz perked up and ducked into the bathroom, leaving Thomas to wonder about the new nickname as he frothed the milk in the second mug. “Dad. Dad! Where’d Sunny get the cool little pen?” Both girls took a seat at the kitchen table, Thomas grinning at them both as he slid a mug in front of them.

“Explain the new names first,” he replied, pulling his seat back from the table. He watched as they both took small sips from their mugs, tiny milk mustaches covering their upper lips.

“Dani’s Sunny, because their last name is Day. Sunny…Day… get it?” Luz beamed a sleepy smile at him. “And I’m Luna-Luz ‘cause…Luna’s like the moon, so we’re best friends, like the sun and the moon. Plus my name means ‘light’ so she’s a sunny day and I’m moonlight.” She nudged Dani with her shoulder and the two girls grinned at each other, sipping their cinnamon-laced mugs of milk.

Thomas’s heart lodged in his throat; they were more like sisters than ever before, coming up with their own nicknames for one another. “Girls, what if I told you I had something very important to ask Dani’s mom that would make you even closer than best friends?” He uttered the question before he knew what he was doing, and it hung in the air as they absorbed his words, their sleepy brains trying to make sense of the implication.

“What’s better than best friends, Thomas?” Dani set her mug down and blinked slowly, the warm milk taking effect.

Luz’s eyes went wide before she finished taking a sip, and she sputtered milk back into her mug. Thomas handed her a napkin and she coughed into it a few times before speaking. “Are you gonna ask Sunny’s mom, for real this time?”

“Ask my mom what?” Dani implored. Before Thomas could answer, Luz was already whispering in her ear, and a warm flush crept up his neck as Dani’s eyes lit up, followed by an excited smile. “Really? Really? You’re gonna ask my mom??”

“Only if you’re both okay with it,” he answered, his voice soft. “I know it would be a big change for everyone’s lives, but it would make me very happy to ask Charlie to marry me. I want to make sure you’re both okay with it.”

“Are you kidding?! I’d love that so much!” Dani rushed out of her chair, stepped around the table, and wrapped her arms around Thomas’s neck.

“Moppet?” He looked over at Luz, who was already out of her chair, and grunted softly as she lunged from the other side to hug him.

“Sunny and I would be sisters, for real! That would be the best thing ever! And Charlie is so cool and smart!”

“You know I’m not trying to replace your mom, kiddo.” He tightened his arm around Luz. “And I’m certainly not trying to replace your dad, Dani,” he added. “But…we could make this work.”

“Please make it work, please make it work!” the girls pleaded. “When will you ask her?”

Thomas chuckled as he released Dani and Luz from their hugs. “We’ll talk about it in the morning, it’s still late, little poppets. You need to go back to sleep.”

“How can we sleep, you’re in love with Dani’s mom and you’re gonna get married and we’re gonna be sisters foreverrrr,” Luz cheered, allowing herself to be ushered back to her room.

“We’ll negotiate terms tomorrow,” he chuckled, tucking her into bed. He placed a sweet kiss to her forehead before turning to tuck Dani into the trundle bed next to Luz. “Goodnight to you both, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Can I get a forehead kiss too?” Dani asked. Thomas tilted his head and felt his heart swell at the request, bending down to kiss Dani’s forehead.

“Goodnight, girls,” he spoke quietly as he swung the door closed. He could hear them giggling to one another as he walked down the hall to clean up in the kitchen, formulating a new plan in his mind.

.:.

Thomas went all-out for brunch the next morning, letting Luz and Dani sleep in a little longer than usual after last night’s chat. They picked up fresh fruit and vegetables at a nearby farmer’s market, and he ended up making chilaquiles with a variety of toppings with their help, along with fruit salad. The doorbell rang a few minutes after Thomas got a text from Charlie that she was nearly there, and Luz and Dani raced to answer, talking a mile a minute as Thomas finished setting the table.

His heart hammered in his chest as he heard their voices carry from the foyer, and he nervously patted the box in his pants pocket. “…and he said I could keep it, so whenever I go to space I can write down whatever I want in zero gravity!” Dani beamed a smile at her mother, holding the bullet pen like a trophy.

“Well that was very kind of Thomas, I hope you said thank you for the nice gift,” Charlie laughed, looking up to see him in the kitchen. “How’s my favorite lawyer doing? What smells so wonderful right now?” He smiled at her the instant they locked eyes.

“Chilaquiles!!” Luz and Dani answered in unison, their jubilant energy a welcome distraction from the nerves coursing through Thomas’s body.

“Check out this spread!” Charlie exclaimed, her eyes going wide at the array of food on the table. “It all looks won—” she paused and placed her hands on Dani’s shoulders, eyes scanning over her appearance. “Where…what’s that you’re wearing? Dani, where’d you find that?”

Dani clutched at the moonstone pendant around her neck. “It’s a moonstone, isn’t it pretty?” She held it between her fingers to show to her mother. “Thomas gave it to me. He said I could wear it for special occasions. Luz has one too!”

Charlie brushed her thumb over Dani’s cheek, grinning softly as she looked over to see Luz wearing an identical pendant, then looked over to Thomas. “Did he now? What’s the special occasion then? World’s best brunch with my favorite people?”

Thomas cleared his throat and stepped forward, one hand reaching into his pants pocket to hold the velvet box. “Actually, I had something else in mind,” he replied, getting down on one knee.

Charlie’s hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes going wide at the sight of him, and Dani and Luz bounced on their heels as they watched, smiles stretching from ear to ear in anticipation. “Wha…” she gasped, taking in shallow breaths. She felt her lips turning up into a smile as Thomas looked up at her with admiration in his eyes.

“Charlotte Day, you’ve been like a bright, shining star in my life since the day we met.”

“Like Sirius!” Dani chimed in.

“Like…Harry Potter’s godfather?” Charlie giggled, shooting a confused look at her daughter.

“Moooom, like Alpha Canis Majoris! Sirius means ‘scorching’ in Greek!”

Charlie and Thomas both laughed nervously. “Thanks for the lesson, kiddo,” she replied. She turned her attention back to Thomas. “You were saying?”

A warm flush began to creep up Thomas’s neck and he nodded silently to Dani before smiling up at Charlie again. “You’ve been like a bright star in the night sky for me, lighting my way no matter how dark the world seemed to be. You and Dani have upturned the life I’d been piecing back together with Luz, in the best way imaginable, and I will always fight for you both, figuratively and literally, if need be. I love you, Charlotte Day.” As each word left his lips, he could feel the smile on his face stretching wider, his vision blurring as tears threatened to spill over at any moment. “I want you both to light up all the rest of my days and nights.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, before pulling the little black box from his pocket, and flipped it open. “Will you marry me?”

Tears ran down Charlie’s cheeks, smiling at the man before her. She wanted to scream ‘yes’ but her eyes darted over to Luz and Dani, who were still beaming huge smiles. “Girls?” she asked apprehensively.

“Say yes, Mom! Say yes!” Dani exclaimed, hopping up and down even faster on her toes.

“Please marry my dad, Charlie, pleeeeease!” Luz added, her grip tightening on Dani’s hands.

“Jury seems to think you should say yes,” Thomas teased playfully.

Charlie bit her bottom lip between her teeth, unable to contain her smile. “Well then, it’s unanimous – my answer is yes!”

Thomas rose to his feet, slipping the sparkling ring onto her finger before pulling her into a tight embrace, both of them smiling against the other’s lips as they kissed. Happy tears fell from their eyes and they began to laugh at Luz and Dani’s feigned cries of disgust in between their own giggling voices.

“I just have one question,” Charlie said, pulling away just far enough to search Thomas’s eyes.

“Anything,” he whispered, looking into her bright brown eyes.

“Can we eat? I’m starving!”

Thomas let out a loud, heartfelt laugh, loosening his grip from Charlie’s waist. “You and your priorities,” he chuckled. “Let’s eat.”

He smiled as Charlie, Dani, and Luz took their seats at the table, passing dishes around. Charlie kept pausing to stare at the ring on her finger as it sparkled, her gaze flitting to Thomas each time, and she smiled and nodded as Luz and Dani talked a mile a minute about their sleepover. He sat there, looking at his sun, his moon, and his bright evening star, and felt a lightness in him he hadn’t felt in years. Thomas felt happy.


	2. Crazy Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> song lyric writing prompt for Van Morrison's "Crazy Love"

Thomas grunted softly to himself, heart pounding in his chest. Every muscle in his body tensed with his movements, determined and nearly painful in the steady pace set before him. His lungs burned as he pushed forward, sweat dripping from his brow. His usually soft curls began to flop haphazardly around his head, exertion working perspiration through every pore.

The sun was just starting to stretch over the horizon, sleepy hues of pink and tangerine nipping at the indigo sky. All he could hear was blood pounding in his ears, parts of his body throbbing and aching for sweet release. He sucked in air through his teeth and closed his eyes for a brief moment, tensing his jaw as he pictured the finish line.

_Just… a little… further…_

“Pick up the pace, lawyer man!”

He felt a wave of warmth creep over his face as Charlie called out to him, a good ten yards ahead on the trail.

“Someone’s gonna owe me coffee _and_ pancakes at this rate!” Charlie slowed her pace to run backwards, flashing a satisfied smile on her face. Her messy bun bobbed atop her head as she beckoned to him to catch up.

Thomas stopped in his tracks, taking in the sight of his fiancée, illuminated by the early morning light behind her, and he grinned as he whipped out his phone to take a picture. He snapped a few more photos as she jogged towards him, her smile growing brighter with each step. **_And the heavens open every time she smiles._**

“What’s got you grinning like that, so early in the morning?” she huffed, only a tiny bit out of breath.

“Just the sight of you, in this light,” he answered, tucking a few damp strands of hair behind her ear. His eyes flicked down to her rosy lips, and he licked his own in response. “Has anyone ever told you that your smile is like looking at the sun?”

“No…” Charlie replied. “But it’s only six in the morning, the day’s still young!” She smiled wider at Thomas, and he laughed softly in response. “C’mon, breakfast isn’t gonna make itself!” She kissed him lightly on the lips before jogging lightly in place.

“I mean, it could,” he replied, taking in a deep breath. “Luz and Dani can make cereal, or toast.”

“D’you remember what happened the last time they got hungry before we came back from a run?”

Thomas’s jaw went slack as he recalled the morning in question; flour and eggs everywhere. “In that case…race you home!”


	3. What, Like it's Hard?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MC (Charlie Day) meets Thomas at a New Year's Eve party, with a writing prompt: Person A is shocked upon seeing Person B dressed up.

Thomas paced in the hotel lobby, running a hand through his chestnut curls. Glancing up at the large clock above the concierge desk, he watched the second hand tick across its face, his own heartbeat running twice as fast. His stormy blue-grey eyes flicked over to the doors every time a woman in a colorful dress walked past.

He stuck two fingers into his shirt collar, tugging the fabric away from his Adam’s apple, before taking in a deep breath and smoothing down the front of his tuxedo jacket. _She’ll be here, I know she will. Maybe her car wouldn’t start and she’s getting a ride from Alma or Levi… or a Lyft driver that decided to take a scenic route for more money. She’ll be here_.

The annual New Year’s Eve gala was underway in the hotel’s grand ballroom – it was an event Thomas usually enjoyed, networking with lawyers from other firms while bidding on items in a silent auction to raise money for the rotating list of non-profit organizations in the city. The best part was the fancy dress theme, though the theme never changed – black tie lawyer. He’d always admired Soledad’s creative efforts – the last year they attended the event, she’d worn a copper gown, carrying a set of scales and a sword all evening, eyes hidden behind a gossamer copper cloth, while he wore a set of judge’s robes.

He skipped the last couple of galas following Soledad’s death, and no one questioned him for doing so.

It seemed only natural to ask Charlie to be his date; their relationship was still relatively new, but all signs pointed to her being someone special in his life. The possibility of sharing his life with another woman became more and more of a reality with each passing week. He wanted her to meet his peers – uptight as some of them were – and a few trusted friends in his professional circle. She accepted the invitation with enthusiasm, until he mentioned it was a black tie costume gala and she’d need to wear an evening gown in addition to the lawyerly theme.

The way her angelic face fell with the thought of having to find something suitable to wear, Thomas wanted the earth to swallow him up whole right there on the couch. At the very least, he wanted some sort of “undo” button to take it back. She told him not to worry and she’d find something suitable, even turning down his offer to go shopping with her for a dress – where he planned to pay for it, since he was the imbecile that invited her to a fancy evening around lawyers who made more in a day than she did in a month. Charlie saw through that plan as well, flashing him one of her trademark “I’ll get the job done” smiles.

But now he was beginning to worry.

He checked his watch one more time, deciding that a glass of anything with alcohol in it would calm his nerves, and headed back towards the ballroom. He adjusted the red tag pinned to his lapel, “Exhibit A” in bold letters – it was a vain attempt at humor, and he was sure a dozen other men would be wearing the same thing. Head pointed down at his patent leather shoes, Thomas walked past the bank of elevators, barely registering the ding from one of the cages noting its arrival, until he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for a dork of a lawyer, who may or may not look like James Bond in a tuxedo. He’s supposed to meet me in the lobby. Do you know where I could find such a man?”

Thomas’s lips curled up into a smile, his heart swelling at the sound of Charlie’s voice. A shaky breath of relief slipped past his smile and he turned to greet her, when he felt the air get sucked out of his lungs. He tried – and failed – not to stare at the vision before him.

Charlie looked on at him with a pleased smile on her face, closing the beaded clutch in her hands. She swayed lightly as she leaned on one hip while he took in her outfit, which channeled her best version of Elle Woods in couture. She was dressed in a bubblegum pink gown, the bustier bodice trimmed with marabou feathers while the floor length skirt was made of layers of tissue-thin chiffon. Her ebony hair was – he hoped – tucked under the platinum blonde tresses now on her head, held in place by a pair of pink bunny ears. She looked elegant and hilarious and sexy, and she’d literally taken his breath away.

“You…dress…wow.” Those were the only words Thomas’s brain could string together as he blinked at Charlie, still stunned by her appearance. “What legal figure are you supposed to be?”

Charlie’s brows wrinkled together and her face twisted in mock shock. “Uh, I’m sorry,” she began, her voice taking on a higher-than-usual tone. “I just hallucinated. If I’m going to be a partner in a law firm by the time I’m 30, I’m going to need a boyfriend who’s not such a bonehead.” He stared blankly at her. “Do I need to bend and snap for you?” she asked, winking at him.

Thomas smiled and let out a low, long chuckle as the blood returned to his brain and Charlie’s hints made sense. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Woods,” he answered.

“Passing marks, then?” She walked towards him and grinned.

Thomas’s cheeks warmed and he shook his head to bring himself out of his daze. He extended a bent arm to Charlie, relishing in the warmth of her hand as she curled her fingers in the crook of his elbow, gathering up part of her skirt with her other hand. He planted a soft kiss against her temple before they started walking towards the ballroom. “You look magnificent,” he whispered into her ear.

“You haven’t even seen the best part,” she hummed back.

“What could be better than you looking like a marshmallow Peep of a goddess right now?” Charlie arched an eyebrow at him. “A uh, very alluring, very enticing, marshmallow bunny, might I add,” he appended, he cheeks warming once again.

They paused at the doors to the ballroom, and Charlie took in the sight of elegantly dressed men in tuxedos, women in sparkling jewel toned gowns, and hotel staff weaving trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres through the mingling crowd. He laughed to himself upon noticing several men wearing red tags on their lapels, just as suspected. She turned her head and kissed Thomas’s cheekbone. “The fact that I’m not wearing an-y-thing else under this dress,” she breathed into his ear.

Charlie let her hand drop from his arm, playfully patting his backside before resting her hand against his arm again. Thomas felt a twitch in his pants, and he swallowed hard. His Adam’s apple bobbed against the stiff collar of his shirt. It was going to be an excruciatingly long evening.


	4. Duck, Duck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loosely set as an outtake scene in Chapter 11, at the school picnic

Thomas held a stack of papers in his hands, flipping the sheet over to continue reading. He was sitting at a picnic table, stacks of snacks arranged in neat piles on the vinyl gingham print runner. In front of each pile was a card holder, indicating what was dairy free, soy free, and nut free. In a box on the ground sat the “donation” from Guy – a case of Nomme bars that literally made Thomas’s stomach churn.

He resumed his work while preparations for the picnic happened around him; his job was to monitor the snack table to make sure the labels didn’t get switched around, so he brought work with him to pass the time until a certain single mom and daughter team arrived. Luz was busy playing tag – or at least he hoped she was playing tag instead of just chasing someone around the field – while he scanned a transcript for information pertinent to his case.

Every other thought in his head raced back to Charlie. His eyes would read a word and associate something with her. With “phone call” he wondered if it would be out of place to call her to see if she and Dani were even planning to attend. Every time the transcript mentioned day – that was a given.

He turned the page again, eyes scanning the material, when an idea struck him. The page was full of dates. He pulled a small notebook from his bag, flipping to a blank page, and clicked the pen in his hand, scribbling down a couple of names and numbers next to them, before tucking the notebook into his shirt pocket. He continued reading through the stack of papers until he noticed the Days across the field, feeling something lodge itself in his throat at the sight of Charlie in a fetching floral dress. They were chatting with Ms. Matsunaga, and Dani was beaming as she spun around in a red dress, showing off the pockets.

Luz plopped next to him on the bench, rolling a bottle of water between her hands on the table until it smacked the side of his arm. She started tapping his elbow with hers. “Dad, Daaaaad look! Dani and her mom are heeeeere!”

Sure enough, just as Thomas glanced up over his papers, he felt his cheeks start to warm as Charlie and Dani walked towards them. “Hey there, Luz,” Charlie said, smiling at his daughter. She tilted her head at the sight of Thomas, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Really, Lawyer Man? **Do you have to do that? It’s Saturday!** ”

Thomas shrugged his shoulders, smiling at her sheepishly. “Two birds, one stone while I’m on snack table duty?” He turned his attention to Dani. “Hi Dani, that’s a pretty dress you’re wearing today!” He cast a knowing look back to Charlie, who smiled awkwardly at him. He remembered the eyesore of a designer dress Guy insisted Dani wear to the picnic; it was the same dress still stuffed in a bag in the trunk of his car.

“Thanks Mr. Mendez!” Dani chirped. “It’s super soft and look – pockets!” She proudly stuffed her hands into the pockets on either side of the skirt.

“C’mon Dani, let’s leave the grownups,” Luz giggled. “There’s a cool pond near the jungle gym, I saw some frogs and ducks there!” Charlie nodded to her daughter as Luz grabbed hold of Dani’s hand before they raced off together.

“You uh, you look very great too,” he stammered, feeling his ears starting to match the temperature of his cheeks.

Charlie grinned down at him, gently tucking her bottom lip behind her teeth to hold back amused laughter. She nodded approvingly. “I feel _very great_ ,” she teased, patting the seams on her hips. “No cool pockets on my dress though.” She walked around to his side of the table. “Scooch,” she said, urging him to move over with a light swatting motion against his shoulder. “Can I help with whatever you’re doing, so you can enjoy at least part of this gorgeous day in a park? Even with screaming children all around us?”

Thomas shifted over the bench, making room for Charlie to join him. “It’s nothing, just some documents I need to review for a new case.”

“Don’t you ever rest, you legal superhero?” She bumped elbows with him. “First the lawsuit, and you’re taking on my case pro bono, now a third?”

“Four cases, technically,” he answered, handing her a highlighter. “But the last one is cut and dry.” He explained what information he needed from the stack of documents between them, and after showing Charlie what to look for, they worked in quiet silence for a few minutes. “So…” He paused to write a note before flipping to the next page. “How are birthday plans coming for Dani?”

“Pretty good, got the theme down and I’ve been working on decorations and stuff when she’s not in the apartment, so I can make it a surprise.”

“If you’d ever like me to pick her up for an afternoon to tackle your prep list for a few hours, I’d be happy to do it,” he offered. “I mean, uh, I’m sure Luz would love extra time to hang out with Dani outside of school.”

Charlie paused from highlighting a line of text and touched his arm. Thomas looked over to where her hand lay, then glanced up to see her smiling softly at him. “I might take you up on that offer,” she grinned. He was about to make another suggestion when a few parents strolled up to the table.

“Did I hear something about a birthday party?” Hugo waved to the pair of them, with Tallulah and Cynthia chatting together behind him. “I hope party planning will include an allergy free menu!”

Charlie’s eyes went wide as she worked to come up with some sort of cover. Thomas pulled the notebook from his shirt pocket, flipping to the page he’d scribbled on earlier. “No parties, but that reminds me,” he replied, clicking his pen again. “When’s your birthday, Hugo? Tallulah? Cynthia?”

“Oh! It’s October 4,” Hugo answered, watching Thomas write the information down. “Tallulah’s is July 28.” He picked up a granola bar, eyes scanning over the ingredients, when Tallulah took it from him and set it back onto the table.

“You’re gluten free, remember? No oats,” she reminded him.

“March 30th,” Cynthia replied. “What’s that you’re doing, Thomas?”

“Yes, what _are_ you doing, Thomas?”

Thomas’s jaw ticked as he pressed his teeth together. Vanessa had joined the gathering at the table. “ **Oh, I’m just making a list of people’s birthdays**.”

A Cheshire-like grin spread across her face. “ **Oh** , in that case, **mine’s in Decem—** ”

“ **Yeah, whatever,** ” he replied, hastily shutting the notebook and pocketing it, along with his pen. There were a few snickers and stifled laughs from the others as Vanessa scowled in disapproval and crossed her arms over her chest. “Cynthia, could you watch the table for a few minutes? I really need to stretch my legs, and…we should make sure our girls aren’t halfway into the pond trying to catch tadpoles or form a duck army,” he added, using his thumb to point at himself and Charlie. He quickly began collecting the documents on the table. Charlie followed suit and they made their exit, heading in the direction of the pond.

“Oh, sure, Thomas, no problem!”

“Thanks!” he called out over his shoulder, nearly breaking into a jog.

“Nice save back there, with the birthday list,” Charlie huffed, keeping pace by his side, even in heels. “So… _our_ girls, hmm?”

Thomas tripped over his feet, lurching forward with the realization of what he said while they were trying to get away from the other parents. He felt Charlie’s hand grab the inside of his elbow, preventing him from faceplanting into the grass. “What? Oh, I…you know, I just meant that… Luz and Dani…” He felt his face starting to grow hot again, now tripping over his words as they kept walking. “I didn’t mean to imply, it was fewer syllables and—”

“It’s okay, Thomas.” Charlie grinned and reached for his hand, now that they’d turned down a small path and were out of view of the school picnic. She laced her fingers between his, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “I know what you meant.”

A shaky but relieved breath left his lungs as he grinned over to her. “So…when is _your_ birthday?”

They walked together in silence for several seconds, Charlie pulling her hand away just before speaking. “It’s on a Tuesday,” she answered, turning around on her heels so she was now walking backwards to face him.

Thomas shook his head, grin growing wider. “What month?”

“One within the calendar year,” she replied, smiling back at him.

“Duck! Duck!”

Charlie turned around at the sound of Luz’s voice calling out behind her, and Thomas momentarily stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened as he took in the scene before him. Luz and Dani sprinted towards their parents, pointing behind them.

“Sweetie, that’s not a duck, it’s a goose!” Thomas cried out, hefting Luz into his arms and onto his back. An angry-looking Canadian goose spread its wings open and flapped them as it chased after Luz and Dani, and Charlie grabbed hold of Dani’s hand. The four of them ran as quickly as they could away from the pond. “What…did you…do?!” Thomas panted.

“Nothing, I swear!” Luz answered. The goose honked loudly behind them as if to negate Luz’s answer.


	5. Goals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A summer writing prompt for barefoot soccer in the yard; Thomas, Charlie, Luz, and Dani enjoy a wonderful afternoon together

Thomas stretched his arms over his head and smiled proudly as he placed his hands on his hips, staring out through the wall of glass towards his backyard. The backyard lawn had become thin and patchy from Luz’s practice drills, and nearly half the space was infested with crabgrass. He spent weeks getting estimates from different lawn services to get the best deal. After a long day of driving to drop off Luz at soccer camp and Dani at space camp, he and Charlie leapt into action.

He watched with excited anticipation as the old lawn was effectively nuked with weed killer before getting shorn from the earth, leaving a mass of dusty brown where patchy green had once been. He was nervous while the soil was tested and treated with nutrients, along with being aerated before the landscapers began reseeding. He worried about the instructions to water the lawn, even when it looked like a giant mud pit.

Charlie got him to laugh when she reminded him how much Luz would love to run around in it.

Slowly, dull brown turned to spring green as the grass seedlings took root, and in a few careful, watchful weeks, they transformed the space into a lush and vibrant yard full of soft grass. He and Charlie reviewed their budget and worked in semi-regular visits from landscapers to mow the grass and handle light gardening.

Thomas had been so preoccupied with literally watching the grass grow, that he vaguely noticed the delivery boxes and shopping bags Charlie sometimes toted home with her after work, escaping into one of the spare bedrooms upstairs. He inquired about the old overhead projector she carried in one night, with Charlie muttering something about borrowing it from Eiko for a project. He wondered about the nights Charlie would come to bed with streaks of paint on her hands and arms, glitter falling from her hair like a strange little pixie…but he agreed not to peek at whatever she was working on in the spare room until she was finished.

After eight excruciating weeks away from their daughters, Thomas and Charlie made the long drive to pick them up from their respective camps. Both girls were bursting with stories; Luz was at least 3 shades darker from running around in the sun, her curly hair naturally highlighted with tiny blonde streaks. Dani had a growth spurt while she was away, and the extra three inches meant all of her pants now looked like capris.

Before arriving home, Thomas glanced over his shoulder to the girls and told them he and Charlie had surprises waiting for them. He and Charlie laughed nervously when Luz and Dani both asked if a puppy would be at the house; that would be a discussion for another day, many days down the road. Given the options of indoor or outdoor surprise, the girls convened in hushed whispers for a minute, before deciding on indoor surprise first.

When they arrived at the house, Thomas and Charlie told the girls to head in and wait at the top of the stairs. Once inside, Luz and Dani felt their parent’s hands cover their eyes, gently nudging them forward down the hall, until they were outside the room where Charlie spent most of her free time working in secret. Even Thomas felt a surge of excitement, not knowing what he would see when they opened the door.

With their eyes closed, Charlie opened the door and gently pushed her family into the room, before telling them to open. A quiet “ta daaa” squeaked from her lips as she anxiously watched their faces for a reaction. Thomas stood there silently, mouth ajar, as Luz and Dani both gasped. And then the girls began shrieking with delight.

Thomas leaned to his fiancée and whispered, “Well now the new lawn looks pitiful next to this.”

“You know Luz is going to love what you did,” Charlie replied, wrapping her arm around his waist. She planted a tiny kiss against his temple. “What do you think of the room?”

Thomas looked around the space that used to contain stark white walls. One corner was painted to look like The Little Prince’s planet in space, the wall speckled with white stars, while the other corner was painted to look like a color frame from Calvin and Hobbes. The comical boy and his tiger were perched on a tree branch near a creek, the leaves all around them in bright shades of red and orange. Soft beanbag chairs accompanied the artwork – dark purple for space, bright red for the forest – with a small collection of books from Luz’s and Dani’s bookshelves. A double desk was set against the window for working on homework, and there were large whiteboards and chalkboards set up on opposite walls. Thomas’s eyes darted around the room, taking in as many details as he could. “Is it bad that I want to do my work in here?” he chuckled.

After settling down from the excitement of the new quiet room for studying and reading, four pairs of feet hurried down the stairs for the next surprise. Luz was the first to shriek with joy again, hands clasping either side of her face as she took in the lovely sight of the backyard. Thomas was already slipping his shoes off as he held the door open, and everyone tugged off their shoes and socks to run around the yard.

He pulled a worn out soccer ball from a bag, tossing it over his head to Luz. “Show us what you learned at camp!” he called out, smiling proudly as she ran forward and lobbed the ball to Dani with her head.

“Kids versus parents, and…go!” Luz exclaimed, exchanging a double high five with Dani, before sprinting off with the ball.

Thomas ran to block Dani as his daughter and fiancée faced off in the yard. He reveled in the feeling of how warm and soft the grass felt under his feet, watching as Luz looked for an opening in Charlie’s defense over an imaginary goal. After a half hour scrimmage, Luz was the only one standing; the rest of them had given up, collapsing onto the lawn, panting heavily as they stared up at a clear blue sky.

It had been a perfect afternoon.


End file.
